Six arrested in Walmer hours after two home invasions

Shortly after robbers fled the scene of a house robbery in Fairview, where they were interrupted by patrolling police, a suspect allegedly robbed a second home in Pinelands before meeting up with his accomplices in Walmer Township.

However, a quick response by Gqeberha police led to the arrest of six suspected robbers, as well as the recovery of stolen goods.

The robberies occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning, with the first between 1am and 2.30am.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said a resident had woken up in his Mimosa Street home in Fairview to find four men standing in the bedroom.

“The complainant [said] he woke up from a noise and found four men, armed with knives, in the room,” she said.

“One of the suspects threatened the complainant and his wife and tied them up while the other ransacked the house.”

The suspects fled with cellphones, jewellery and electronics.

While on patrol, Walmer police officers noticed a VW Golf outside a yard and two people handing a TV over the fence.

Upon noticing the police, the driver of the VW Golf sped off, straight towards the police vehicle.

The officers narrowly avoided a collision with the fleeing vehicle, firing a warning shot.

The VW Golf sped off and several other suspects fled in different directions on foot.

While police units, with the assistance of City Wide, searched the area, they heard people screaming for help and found the complainant and his wife locked in their room.

When an officer, who assisted with the patrols in the area, went to a petrol station in Circular Drive, she met a woman who alleged that she had also been robbed at her Leipoldt Street home in Pinelands.

She told the officer that at about 3.30pm she had woken up with someone shaking her and holding a knife to her throat.

“The suspect threatened her and forced her outside to her car.

“Her car had already been loaded with many of her belongings, and the suspect ordered her to drive to Walmer Township.

“He told her to stop in Victoria

Drive. As he got out of the car and started to unload a stolen item, the complainant took the opportunity to speed off,” Janse van Rensburg said.

From there she went to the garage, where she met the police.

Patrolling units in Walmer were notified about the incidents and intensified searches in the area where the second complainant had dropped off the suspect.

A description of the VW Golf involved in the first incident was also circulated and before long the vehicle was spotted parked in Samule Street, Walmer Township.

“With the assistance of Gqeberha K9 Unit, police members converged on the house where the car was parked and six suspects were arrested.

“Stolen property which included cellphones, TVs, jewellery and other property that was taken during these two house robberies was also recovered.”

Janse van Rensburg said a replica firearm and drugs had also been confiscated.

The suspects were detained on charges of house robbery and the possession of drugs and are expected to appear in the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court today.